Eli S. (Notre Dame HS – West Haven, CT)
As the captain of my basketball team and a student who thrives on academic challenges, I feel a deep connection to the mission of the Congregation of Holy Cross and the values that define my school experience. Being part of the Holy Cross community has taught me that our gifts, whether they’re on the court, in the classroom, or everyday interactions, are meant to be used to serve others. This belief is something that resonates deeply with me, especially as I reflect on how my talents align with the mission of my school and the Notre Dame-West Haven pillars of compassion, character, and confidence. One of my biggest passions is the pursuit of academic challenges, especially in Mr. McMullen’s UConn Biology class and Dr. Gleason’s Latin class. These classes push me to think critically, ask deeper questions, and step outside of my comfort zone. Challenges have never scared me. I am grateful that due to the challenging natures of Mr. McMullen and Dr. Gleason this year, my position is to be challenged, understand how and why they challenge, and learn how to overcome them positioned by both of them. For the first time in my life, I’ve been given the opportunity to synthesize ideas as opposed to repeating them for assessment to receive grades.
In biology with Mr. McMullen, I grew to value all life—from the microscopic single-cell organisms we’ve assessed to million-species-deep-dependent ecosystems we’ve explored—and now that I’ve learned the value, beauty, and awesomeness life has to offer, I’m more aware of the accessibility the world and everything in and around it can provide. Where my life science connection occurred, my Latin class with Dr. Gleason made connections that life occurs on a larger scale with culture and language. As captain of my basketball team, I’d like to believe I embody confidence while teaching character through confidence and compassion as I hope to inspire each and every one of my teammates when our game seems hopeless. One of the most rewarding moments of my life was when I held a basketball clinic for the kids in my neighborhood. I know that their passion for basketball will carry over on and off the court—improving their abilities transfer through life, their confidence, games, and compassion. I merely reap the reward of knowing that I’m utilizing my skills to empower someone feeling great about themselves. It’s a sense that nothing can compare to knowing that your talents and skills can make someone else happy. I’ve learned that there’s no comparison in feeling the giftedness rendered when one person can change another’s life. What I love most about Holy Cross is the community. Whether it’s in the classroom, on the basketball court, or at a school event, I constantly feel needed and wanted. The three pillars of Notre Dame-West Haven—compassion, character, confidence—are more than words on a banner; they’re who the students and staff are, exercised daily as my teachers have learned how to listen to me compassionately. There’s character rooted within all students when we lend a helping hand to each other. There’s confidence brewing within me as part of an inclusive community wants everyone to be the best they can be. There is gratitude flowing through every individual as each person applies their gift for a greater good, where they are. I want to apply my gift for a far greater good.
This year, I’ve taken Mr. McMullen’s class, and as someone who’s loved science for as long as I remember, I’d like to break into the medical or scientific field, applying everything I’ve learned from biology to the real world to help others. Whether in research or application, I’m sure there will be chances for me to apply what I know to help solve real-world issues. At the same time, I’d also like to continue being a mentor and a leader just as I’ve embodied my role on the basketball court; while stepping up to lead is not always the easiest thing to do, it has great responsibility but even greater rewards. Through basketball, I discovered how much of a competent teammate I am, so should I be able to give someone down the line the same level of experience who can bring their strengths to me, we would all be amazing people and citizens at the end of the day. Acknowledging that I’ve given my strengths to others has, in turn, given me so much while I’ve received; the confidence to lead, the compassion of knowing what others need from me as they did on the court and in the classroom, and the character to remind myself that I’m always true to myself regardless of what distractions exist that attempt to pull me away in other directions.
Therefore, my Holy Cross experience has been a gift because nothing is more rewarding than using one’s talents for the benefit of others. While I cannot specify where I’ll reveal this knowledge for the rest of my life, I would like to think that I’ll carry my Holy Cross experience forever with me. I’ve always been told by parents, teachers, and coaches that it’s not about what you accomplish in life; it’s about who you become and how you use your gifts to elevate others instead of keeping them for yourself
